EPISODE NUMBER: 6161 (December 16, 2010)
GUESTS: Amy Sedaris, Paul Simon
SEGMENTS: Christmas Holy Week, Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat
VIDEOS: Thursday, December 16, 2010
I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been looking forward to this episode for about two months. It’s always amazingly magical when Stephen and Amy get together, and the crafting did not disappoint! And you know a show is going to be a good one when it starts with Stephen swigging his own personal version of ‘nog – pour whiskey, tap whiskey with ‘nog carton, put carton away and drink whiskey. That’s my kind of ‘nog! I also very much appreciated Stephen pointing out the bizarre idea that holy week is the week *after* Christmas. Also? Loved his Holy Day descriptions, especially the one for the Holy Day of Returnance, with baby Jesus returning his frankincense (not that he didn’t like it, he just got a lot of it that year).
And oh, Amy’s segment was as joyful as I hoped it would be. The last time Amy was on, it was so hard for Stephen to stay in character, but with the crafting, it allowed both of them to be silly and at the same time true to the show. Stephen’s “craft” of googly eyes on a banana was utterly adorkable, and it was so fun to see them both just so amazingly happy to be together. Did any of you catch that little happy hop that Stephen did at the end of the segment, right before the cutaway? I’m pretty sure that was him literally levitating with joy. And don’t forget to check out whiskersinwonderland.org if you’re in the New York City area and would like to adopt a pet!
Paul Simon was also a delightful guest the second time around. Paul’s eyes are so wise, and his smile so knowing. And, let’s face it, Simon is officially a “cute little old man”. But what talent he has! The smile that Paul Simon had when Stephen had his character break was just so very cute. And Paul’s song was beautiful and moving, and I thought the editing of the video with the live song was very well done.
What did you all think of tonight’s episode? Leave it in the comments!
- That is the most beautiful Christmas Carol I have ever heard.
- Christmas is so close, I can taste it. By which I mean I have already started hitting the ‘nog.
- Then there is the Feast of the Obligation of the Nephews, when you are forced to take your sister’s kids to see Yogi Bear. Truly a vision of Hell.
- Good point, Bill. Jesus said we only have to love those who deserve it.
- I mean, the guy is God. He could have floated off that cross like Criss Angel Mindfreak.
- That H clearly stands for Hussein.
- He’s basically Yahweh’s Joe Biden.
- Poor people cannot afford books. Did you think about making something for rich people?
- Are they going to be political?
- I have a lot of Jewish friends, and I don’t care who knows that.
I was looking forward to this episode as well. I love seeing Amy and Stephen together ALWAYS! Paul Simon’s song moved me to tears. He is indeed a wise man.
And while I loved the guests, the best part of the show was the beginning when Stephen pointed out the utter audacity and hypocrisy of those people in power who claim to be Christians, and yet abandon the very basis of the faith. It was truly a well-crafted commentary and a thing of pure beauty. I was clapping and cheering all the while.
Also, I know this is a site for Stephen, but in all reality, I would be remiss if I didn’t give accolades to Jon Stewart as well. His show last night was light on the jokes, but I didn’t mind because the message was far greater than my want for entertainment. His opening monologue (if you will) was a well-landed kick in the ass to the Republicans who have shown their truest colors in filibustering the 9/11 First Responders Bill. And then the conversation with those four men who risked their lives in the aftermath of that horrific day was a poignant punctuation to his words. I was crying the entire show. I am as I type this.
Well done to both gentlemen for standing up for what they not only believe, but live and breathe in their own lives, and I am proud to say that I am an admirer of both men. Stephen can say he’s just making jokes all he wants to, but the reality is, he is a man who truly embodies the fundamentals of Christian love and charity for his fellow man. And Jon can say that he’s a comedian first and foremost, but truly he is a humanitarian above all else. Because of this, if nothing else, I will always support Stephen and Jon in all that they endeavor to do. These men are a rare treasure in the world of celebrity, because they don’t just give lip service to the words compassion, charity, love, hope, and good-will to your fellow man – they live them.
Difference makers:
+28
You absolutely summed up my feelings about TDS last night. I wouldn’t have even known about the 9/11 First Responders Bill if it weren’t for Jon talking about it, since as they said, no one else is covering it. Which is just so incredibly sad. And the conversation with the four first responders? Yeah, I cried during it for sure. Those men are heroes. The interview with Mike Huckabee was fantastic as well. I wish TDS didn’t have to cover this whole debacle, but I can only say how grateful I am that they did.
And I totally agree with you about the opening segment on TCR as well. That’s why I loved it so much – it said so much about Stephen, especially the closing line. Brilliant.
Difference makers:
+12
Everything you said, Lori!
I found Stephen’s opening monologue simply breathtaking, especially as he didn’t put it in a “Word” or other conventional segment. It was almost out of character; I felt the real man mocking the hypocrisy of those who profess to follow Jesus, but ignore his most basic tenets.
And as for Jon, I could have hugged him last night. Just hugged him. I am a New Yorker. I stood on the roof of my office in shock watching the flames on 9/11. I know what our first responders faced, because I could smell the acrid smoke for weeks after–and that from a distance. No political infighting should deprive them of the help they need. They must not be forgotten. And any senator or congressperson who has taken used 9/11 to his or her advantage without giving these heroes their due should feel ashamed.
On a lighter note, my two favorite things from the Amy/Stephen fest: Amy’s “leftover” cookie crumbs on the plate and Stephen’s outrageous dreidel Christmas tree. “A Miracle Happened Here,” indeed! (For those of you who aren’t Jewish or don’t know, that’s what the Hebrew letters on the dreidel say.) Plus, Amy’s popping up from behind the desk and Stephen’s referring to her as an “elf” were both hysterical. Paul Simon was, as always, wonderful.
Difference makers:
+12
And while I loved the guests, the best part of the show was the beginning when Stephen pointed out the utter audacity and hypocrisy of those people in power who claim to be Christians, and yet abandon the very basis of the faith. It was truly a well-crafted commentary and a thing of pure beauty. I was clapping and cheering all the while.
As was I. Yet another instance where I threw my fists in the air at the end of the segment-I can’t help it, when he goes off like that I feel compelled. I absolutely LOVE it when he gets onto the topic of religion and calls people out like that, it thrills me to no end. But what really clinched it for me was, given the tough struggles my family has dealt with this year, and given the struggles I’ve seen people I know go through, I dunno, hearing him talk about how we should care more about those in need, who are struggling…just knowing somebody out there cares like that fills my heart with so much happiness and makes me love him even more than I thought possible.
And Jon Stewart’s show was INCREDIBLE. So emotional, so heartwrenching, so upsetting, and yet still hopeful that a change could happen. I have never seen him so passionate, so intense, so determined to get his point across, it was amazing. I hope that this helps push the issue forward and gets these responders the treatment and care they so desperately deserve. It’s moments like that that explain so perfectly why I am a fan of his. And of Stephen’s. Bless those men’s hearts, it is very comforting and refreshing to know that people like those two still exist out there. Thank you, guys. Thank you so, so much.
On a much lighter note, hehe, I had a feeling that shot of Stephen and Amy would be the pick for this recap, too :D. Oh, how cute were they together, they looked so happy to be seeing each other again! I loved the crafts (Stephen’s dreidel tree had me laughing quite a bit), I loved the back and forth between them, it just made me smile. That book has actually been selling a bit at where I work, happily-looks like I’ll have to pick it up myself sometime. And Paul Simon, too-I liked the idea of the lyrics on one of those signs you see outside of churches, that was my favorite of the imagery shown during the song. Great to see him again (and the little break when Stephen was quoting the lyrics-so cute).
What a way to end the year. I’m sad that the shows are off for a few weeks, but I hope these guys are getting a very well-deserved rest and have a wonderful rest of the holiday season, and I look forward to seeing them back next year.
Difference makers:
+7
I agree! I about cried when Stephen so bluntly pointed out the hypocrisy of all of these “christians”. It just summed the truth up so much of what I try to say but can’t.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+2
Kind of thought it was disappointing. She does a similar craft segment on every talk show promoting her book. Big Paul Simon fan but all I could focus on is how much plastic surgery he’s had. Hard to focus on the song because I was trying to figure out what happened to his eyes!
Shout Out (Hey!):
+4
I love that screen grab. Miss those two. Merry Christmas Amy and Stephen!
Difference makers:
+6
After watching the Stephen and Amy segment last night, I thought to myself, “I hope that’s the screencap for tomorrow’s re-cap!” You read my mind, DB, and I thank you for it because that picture is just too awesome for words. :)
Crafting with Amy and Stephen was full of so much joy and love and silly that I sat through the whole thing with a big smile on my face. I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I heard Amy was going to be on the show, and they didn’t let me down! I especially loved Amy’s “Merry Christmas, Stephen.” after Stephen said how ugly one of the ties was. And the Jerri Blank voice while she was talking about Whiskers In Wonderland was great! I can’t wait to watch that segment again and see just how happy Amy and Stephen were to be together. :D
Of course, the rest of the show was fantastic too. The opening segment about Christmas Holy Week was friggin’ brilliant; I want to high-five Stephen and the writers for putting it together. And I really liked the Paul Simon song. I’m definitely going to miss TDS and TCR over the Christmas break, but what an amazing set of shows to end the year with!
Difference makers:
+8
Such a shiny, glorious show, with enough purity of heart and spirit to boot!
Stephen hitting the bottle early, Amy and her elfin magic, and a hefty serving of righteousness against the hypocritical Christians In Name Only, topped off with a beautiful song by Paul Simon.
I hope both the teams from the Colbert Report and the Daily Show have a fantastic and relaxing break, ready to come back as amazing as ever in 2011! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to them! <3
Difference makers:
+5
Am I imagining things or did I see a brief glimpse of Stephen’s puppet from the Rally in the corner during Paul Simons performance?
All in all it was a fantastic show to finish the year off with, and of course Amy’s appearance was hilarious!!
Difference makers:
+5
Haha! Yeah, I think it lives off stage-left. I’ve noticed it a couple of times since the Rally. It makes me laugh when I see it, too, I think mainly because i can envision Stephen playing with it at random times, being the big kid that he is and all. LOL
Shout Out (Hey!):
+2
That screencap says it all! Great Episode!
Shout Out (Hey!):
+2
A great show to wrap up the year! His defense of Christianity was just wonderful. And it was so good to see Amy on the show! And buy the book–not only does it have silly crafts, but there are some really interesting photos of Paul Dinello.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+4
Haha seconded on the Paul Dinello part. My mom was flipping through that in the store and….yeah it didn’t end well. Mwahaha
Shout Out (Hey!):
0
I’m truly considering doing that crumbs things on my office next week…for real.I dislike half of the office,so thanks for the awesome idea Amy.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+4
I haven’t seen the Daily Show yet, but I am looking forward to watching it after reading all the commentary on it.
Seeing Amy and Stephen together was such a treat. They were immensely cute in their little hugs at the beginning and end of the segment. I also haven’t seen the performance of Paul’s song, but I saw the video that was up on the site and it’s a great song. I just didn’t have time to watch it this morning before work.
I want to say that even though I will miss the shows when they are on break, it warms my heart to know that the boys and their staff and crews can enjoy this time of year with their families.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+4
Both The Daily Show & The Colbert Report went out on such a high note for the year last night. Everyone has pretty much said everything I wanted to say about both shows. I truly admire Jon for his reporting on the 9/11 responders bill, he’s clearly passionate and angry about the issue and I’m glad that he cares enough to give it attention on his show, especially since no other news organizations have been reporting on it.
On the flip side, TCR was just so much fun last night! Seeing Stephen do crafts with Amy was utterly adorable. And I agree about his opening monologue — I just wish other religious people would listen to what he says.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+4
I agree that Stephen’s opening was just great. He has really been on fire lately in particular, and his gleeful yet pointed take-down of present day hypocrisy in terms of the true meaning of Christianity couldn’t have been more effective.
Amy’s visit was a complete delight. I loved the ugly tie (“Merry Christmas Stephen!”) part too. They were having such a wonderful time. I’d forgotten about the googly eyes banana somehow; perhaps that means that it was Stephen who created the “googly eyes on a brick bus driver” for the Rally. The hug at the end was great indeed.
Also very impressed by Paul Simon’s appearance though I missed a few lyrics and should see that part again. Great way to end the year!
BTW I missed the Daily Show but right on to Jon for supporting the first responders, needless to say.
Shout Out (Hey!):
+1
No need to make a big comment here. You have all said what I wanted to say and more. I echo EVERYTHING that has been said here. A great end to the year! I can’t wait to see what will happen on the shows next year. :-)
Shout Out (Hey!):
+3
Oh yes. I forgot to say Merry Christmas Jon and Stephen!
Shout Out (Hey!):
+3
This was such a memorable Colbert as I love Colbert, love Paul Simon (although I agree with poster re: plastic surgery (why?) and Amy Sedaris.
I loved Amy Sedaris’ first book, Hospitality Under the Influence, so I’m hoping Santa brings me her new book. Both Amy and her brother David have brought so much laughter to my life.
All round great episode. Merry Christmas everyone!
Rhonda
Shout Out (Hey!):
0